Self leveling paint can holder attachment for ladders



y 1964 R. J. ANDERSON ETAL 3, ,900

SELF LEVELING PAINT CAN HOLDER ATTACHMENT FOR LADDERS Filed May 15, 1962INVENTORS 203551 J 41/121230,

oUe'zAsA. MOUNE ATTORNEY United States Patent "ice 3,131,900 SELFLEVELING PAINT CAN HOLDER ATTACHMENT FOR LADDERS Robert J. Anderson,1716 7th St. NE, and Douglas A. Moline, 3609 3rd Place NW., both ofRochester, Minn. Filed May 15, 1962, Ser. No. 194,900 1 Claim. (Cl.248-210) This invention relates broadly to holders for paint cans andthe like; more particularly to a paint can holder attachment for laddersof all kinds; and specifically to a self-leveling paint can holderattachment for ladders.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a paint can holderof the class described that is entirely self-leveling when attached tothe side rails of a ladder.

Another object of this invention is to provide a paint can holder of theclass described wherein in addition to its self-leveling feature, mayalso be locked at a tilted angle if so desired.

A further object of this invention is to provide a paint can holder ofthe class described that is free for longitudinal movement along eitherside rail of a conventional ladder of any type and which may' be lockedon said side rails of the ladder at any desired position.

A further object of this invention is to provide a paint can holder ofthe class described that is capable of supporting cans of various sizeswithout adjustment and which will still maintain its self-levelingabilities.

Another object of this invention is to provide a paint can holder of theclass described that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, isrugged, is easy to attach and detach from a ladder, and which is easy toclean.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a self-levelingpaint can holder attachment for ladders that may be left positioned onthe side rails of said ladders while the same are adjusted relative tothe supporting surfaces against which the ladder may rest Within almostany angular limits.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing specification and claim when taken in conjunction with theappended drawing, in which like characters indicate like partsthroughout the several views:

To the above end, generally stated, the invention consists of thefollowing devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described anddefined in the claim.

Referring to the drawing:

HG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention attached to the side railof a conventional ladder.

FIG. 2 is a top plan View of the invention attached to a ladderfragmentarily shown, and,

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 with the exception that the inventionis shown in side elevation.

The numeral 4 will hereinafter he directed to the invention as anentirety, the numeral 5 to the paint can supported thereby, and thenumeral 6 to the ladder as an entirety.

The numeral 7 indicates a relatively open cage-like receptacle or basketfor supporting and confining a standard size paint can. This receptacleas shown in one preferable form comprises a pair of crossed metal straps8 forming a substantially open bottom portion thereof said strap-likemembers being thence upturned at 90* degrees to the plane of the saidbottom members to form side members 9 of the receptacle 7. A relativelywide annular rim 10 rigidly secured to the upturned vertically disposedside members provides a top member of the receptacle. It will beunderstood that the receptacle 7, with the exception of the annular toprim 10 may be stamped from a single sheet of material to form the bottomand side members thereof, or the same may be formed of independent strapmembers one of which is 3,131,900 Patented May 5, 1964 provided with anoffset at its longitudinal center to afford a level unbroken surfacewhere the said independent straps are crowed. This is a manufacturingdetail but worthy of note to anyone contemplating the manufacture of thedevice as obviously, this construction will prevent rocking movements ofa paint can supported on the bottom members 8.

A relatively heavy screw-threaded stud 11 is pivotally mounted in theupper end portion of one of the side members 9 of the receptacle 7 andthe annular rimv 10 and is held therein securely against any endwise orlateral wobble movements by any conventional means. A sleeve 12 ismounted to encircle the stud 11 and is acted upon by a locking member'13 that has screw-threaded engagement with the stud 11. The inner endportion of the sleeve 12 has abutting engagement with the outer upperend portion of one of the side members 9 to which the stud 11 ispivotally secured and the outer end portion of said sleeve 12 hasabutting engagement with the inner face of the locking member 13.

It may be well to note at this time that in actual mmiufacturingpractice it may be necessary to Weld a relatively heady boss, not shown,to the outer upper end portion of the said side member 9 on which thestud 11 is mounted to provide a more rigid pivot point, and mount,between said stud 11 and said receptacle 7. In such construction, theinner end portion of the sleeve 12 would abut against the boss ratherthan the upper end portion of the outer side of the side member 9 asshown.

Obviously, by turning the screw-threaded locking member 13 intoengagement with the sleeve 12 the pivotal movements of the receptacle 7can be controlled for either self-leveling adjustment or be locked inany desired position relative to the ladder 6.

Secured to the outer end portion of the screw-threaded stud 11 is arelatively heavy C-clamp having a fixed jaw 15 and a movable jaw 15 thatis rotatably mounted on the outer end portion of an advancing screw 16.The main frame of the C-clamp 14 including the fixed jaw 15 isconstructed and dimensioned to engage the side rails 17 of the ladder 6with a relatively loose working fit to facilitate endwise longitudinalmovement along the said side rail 17. As indicated by the numeral 18,the main frame of the C-clamp is offset in the form of a depression toafford clearance for the several types of protrusions found on mostladders to secure the same in assembled relation and in some instances,to strengthen the rungs 19 of the ladder 6.

The screw-threaded advancing screw 16 and its mounted movable jaw 15'has screw-threaded engagement with a side leg 20 of the main frame ofthe C-clamp 14. As shown, a fixed nut 21 is rigidly mounted on the sideleg 20 to afford a greater bearing surface for the advancing screw 16,however, it will be understood, that in actual manufacturing practice afixed boss could be formed integral with the said side leg 20.

Obviously, to install the invention on either side rail 17 of the ladder6 it is only necessary to open the C- clamp 14 to sufiicient width topermit the same to be positioned on the said side rail with the clampheld in engagement with the side rail the advancing screw 16 is turneddown until its movable jaw 15 engages the opposite side of the rail thanthat engaged 'by the fixed jaw 15 of the main C-clarnp frame and is thentightened sufficiently to prevent slippage of the clamp on said rail.

As stated, the locking member may be adjusted at time to control thepivotal movements of the receptacle or said locking member 13 may remainout of en gage-ment with the sleeve 12 to permit free self-levelingmovement of the receptacle 7.

It will be understood that to achieve the self-leveling action of thereceptacle relative to the C-clamp and the of embodiments of thestructure, process and product of the invention herein presented, it ispossible to produce still other embodimentswithoutdeparting from theinventive concept herein disclosed, and it is desired, therefore,

that only such limitations be imposed on the appended claim as arestated herein or required by the prior art.

What we claim is: V

A self-leveling paint can holder for use with a ladder having siderails, comprising in combination, a C-clamp having a main frame, saidmain frame having a flanged end portion dimensioned to engage with aloose working fit, one of the side portions of the side'rails of aladder, said flanged end portion affording a fixed jaw, a movable jawalso flanged to engage the said side rails of the ladder, said movablejaw being mounted rotatably on an advancing screw having screw-threadedengagement with the main frame of the C-clamp, whereby when the saidadvancing screw is turned down, the said movable jaw is moved intoengagement with the other edge portion of the said rail of the ladderand thereby secure the C-clamp at any predetermined position on the siderails of the ladder, a screw-threaded stud pivotal-1y mounting areceptacle on the C-clamp, a sleeve mounted on the screw-threaded studhaving longitudinal movement thereon and a locking member havingscrew-threaded engagement with the said stud, said sleeve being looselyinterposed on the screwthreaded stud between the receptacle and thelockingmembet whereby said locking member may be turned into engagementwith the sleeve to urge said sleeve into abutting engagement with thereceptacle to frictionally control the pivotal movements of the saidreceptacle.

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 TouneNov. 10,- 1959

